"it's twin"?! "IT''''''''S TWIN?!?!?!??!"

Badger Herald, go back to elementary English. For shame, for shame.

"Furthermore, the student judiciary struck down last fall's measure, which raises questions of how the current referendum -- it's seemingly identical twin, could possibly pass muster under case law."

The SJ decision was questionable at best--the case originally came about because of a technicality around how it was placed on the ballot, not the content itself. The Chief Justice has since admitted the decision was a mistake, and conservative constitutional scholar Donald Downs has supported the legality of the Initiative.

There is no real proof that this initiative will in fact take away student fee autonomy, or even raise segregated fees for that matter. The Herald is relying on scare tactics and invented truths and is pitting two goods against each other--seg fees vs. a non-poverty wage--to cover for their own hidden, anti-poor agenda.

The Herald raises the issue of student workers being paid more. Let me raise a similar question: if you're a student worker trying to pay tuition (or even bar tabs for that matter), do you want a higher wage? Even if you don't work for one of these departments, it will create a prevailing wage phenomenon which will raise wages for other student workers.

SLAC seeks not to take more money out of your pockets. Instead, they want you to be compensated better for your hard work. They want you to have more time to study, so that the education you're working so hard to finance doesn't go to waste.

The question I keep asking: Where is the money going to come from?

I would love to make $10.23/hour, but reality is: I don't really EARN that much by sitting a a library desk, checking out books.

Someone brings up bar tabs. Is it really the entire campus population's reponsibility to allow to provide people spending money for bar tabs? That's the silliest thing I have ever heard.

SLAC is being ridiculously outlandish if they think that $10.23 required at the Unions, Rec. Sports, UHS, etc. will then make everyone else raise their minimum wage.

Madison can't even get the minimum wage in this city about 7.50. Does SLAC really think that the city and university and state and country will follow suit if this initiative passes??

"I don't really EARN that much"

Yer missing the whole SLACer point here - you should paid based on how much you NEED, not based on what you deserve (based on output, value of service, etc.).

From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs
Karl Marx

Then of course any rational person spends their time enumerating and proving their NEEDS, while downplaying or hiding any abilities. It hasn't really worked anywhere I know of.

"Where is the money going to come from?"

Simple, it comes from the pockets of those who will no longer have jobs.

"Yer missing the whole SLACer point here - you should paid based on how much you NEED, not based on what you deserve"

Hey Joe McCarthy, why don't you just call SLAC "communist" and get it over with?

Those who benefit most from the exploitation of workers have always been the first to throw out the communist label, and will label as communist anyone who seeks a freer and better life.

"When I feed the poor, they call me a saint. But when I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist."
- Dom Helder Camara (Brasilian priest)

How is it at the very least not even a socialist idea that everyone should be paid a certain wage even if they work done does not require that wage?

"anyone who seeks a freer and better life"

Go ahead, just don't stick your hand in my pocket when you need money.

PS. The "the exploitation of workers" seemed most brutal when the Nomenklatura were in charge of the USSR - in the US this would be like the union leaders who live as CEOs while whining about the plight of the workers.

"But when I ask why the poor have no food..."

Ridiculous statement in the USA where the big problem aomoung the poor is obesity.

It's funny how quickly those who don't have to work for their education will dismiss the needs of those who do.

I always find it funny when people say that some people shouldn't spend money on recreational activities, like visiting bars. You're right, they should just study and work until they go insane.

Maybe you should pass a mandate that all those receiving financial aid should be removed from the university.

That would decrease your tuition, taxes, and the cost of your McDonalds. Try to look at the big picture, instead of just yourself.

"There is no real proof that this initiative will in fact take away student fee autonomy, or even raise segregated fees for that matter."

Sure there's proof, the fact that the Union gets money from two places: seg fees and food sales. So if the money has to come from somewhere, its from one or the other or both.